Praying this Holy Week is filled with meaningful moments for you. Please join us for our Good Friday walk-through opening at 6:30 pm in the Sanctuary. Easter services will be held at regular
Good morning,
We are just a few days out from Holy Week and coming to the end of our Lent experience. You will receive one more email next Thursday as you prepare to go into Good Friday and the
Good snowy afternoon,
The past few weeks in this season have been an intentional time of focus on the true picture of Jesus. As we get ever closer to Holy Week, we pray that this resource is
Good morning,
Thank you so very much for engaging with our Lent resources during this season. If you would like to share how it's been going for you, please do! If you are just joining us or are
Hello church,
Very glad you are with us for week three of our Lenten journey. If you would like to share how it's been going for you, please do! If you are just joining us or are wondering what
Welcome to week two of our Lenten journey. I am praying for you as you continue your heart's preparation. If you are just joining us or are wondering what Lent is all about, scroll to the bottom of
What is Lent?
The season of Lent is the 40 days leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus and his resurrection three days later and a time to prepare our hearts. This season has been observed by
A weekend of solace for a mom with a two-year-old was much needed, but you know when you have a million things to do and sitting with your thoughts seems more like a chore than restful?
Well,
Can the Kingdom Disrupt a War?
This was the question our church asked last year during our annual Christmas offering. The war in Ukraine was at its worst, and the people of Ukraine needed the hope
The Mother/Daughter overnighter at Great Wolf Lodge was this past week, and we had so much fun. We painted toenails, had a dance party, rode lots of water slides, and ate yummy donuts. But we also
This August, I was able to attend Cultivating Wholeness, focused on the theme of being held, with my sister. This night was much needed for my own personal life. The evening began in the most
"What has been your experience?"
My experience at Pulpit Rock Church has been full and brimming with new experiences. When I first came to intern here, I wasn't too sure what to expect. I knew I
This week, Sunday, July 9th we were joined by Preston Goff from our partner organization The Exodus Road. He closed his sermon with this beautiful benediction prayer.
Lord, you have said
That
You never know what you're going to walk into when you're going to an event where you know the topic is on grief. Grief comes in many ways, whether it's the loss of a loved one, the shattering of a
This is a guide to accompany our sermon series on Sexual Wholeness. In it you will find reflection & discussion questions, passages of scripture and additional resources to help you have
Hey parents,
We are wrapping up our church-wide series on sexual wholeness, whew!
I’ll be honest, when it comes to parenting, I have yet to see one subject matter totally wreck parents more than the
This is a guide to accompany our sermon series on Sexual Wholeness. In it you will find reflection & discussion questions, passages of scripture and additional resources to help you have
This is a guide to accompany our sermon series on Sexual Wholeness. Over the next several weeks we will release a guide like this each Sunday along with the sermon. In it you will find reflection
I recently took a class through Denver Seminary on sexuality in a broken world. My eyes were opened to the increase of incest and abuse throughout the pandemic because many kids were left unattended
As we wrap up our 12 Minor Prophets sermon series with the book of Malachi, we want to know what God has been teaching you in this journey through the Prophets.
We value learning from the
Something we've loved getting to do on our blog is share reflections from others as we read each Minor Prophet together! More info.
If you’ve missed any sermons on the 12 Minor Prophets, you can
On Sunday, Jonathan shared from Zechariah 7 how the Israelites asked God if He wanted them to fast. God responded, through Zechariah, what He truly wanted:
“Administer true justice; show mercy and
We're finishing our journey through The 12 Minor Prophets this spring. We invite you to continue reading along with us as we wrestle with what it means for us to be God's people today!
You can find
We talk a lot about the Table here at Pulpit Rock. We believe sharing a meal together around a table can create deep connection and friendship, which we see to be true in Jesus' ministry!
That's
Church, thank you for reading through the Minor Prophets with us.
We'll be taking a break from this series during Lent, but you'll still be able to find previous reflections on our Minor Prophets
We got to learn about Obadiah on Sunday, and we'll get to dive into Joel over the next couple of weeks. If you've missed any sermons on the 12 Minor Prophets, you can watch those here at
As we continue learning from the The 12 Minor Prophets, we invite you to read along with us as we wrestle with what it means for us to be God’s people today!
Erin Ahnfeldt: Habakkuk
I will
What are you learning from The 12 Minor Prophets? Follow along with us in the Reading Plan!
Amber Van Schooneveld: Zephaniah
Reading Zephaniah is hard. You enter a world more than 2,500
In the fall, we journeyed through Jonah, Amos, Hosea and Micah. And we get to continue learning from the rest of The 12 Minor Prophets in this new year. We invite you to read along with us as we
One of the hardest and most rewarding things I’ve had the privilege of doing is serve as a volunteer with The Exodus Road. We’ve supported this organization at Pulpit Rock for a few years. And this
We've loved getting to read The 12 Minor Prophets as a church family. Thank you to those who've shared what they've been learning!
Nate Huntley: Micah
Life happens in seasons and cycles
With Formation Table (our new channel on Pulpit Rock Mobile), we get to dive into spiritual formation concepts together each month.
Spiritual formation is not about mastering a set of behaviors or
What are you learning from The 12 Minor Prophets? Follow along with us in the Reading Plan!
McKenna Tinan: Hosea
Hosea's relationship with his wife reflects ours with God. We don't need to
Check out the Reading Plan we've put together for the 12 Minor Prophets! We hope you'll continue to read along with us.
Kristina Wrobleski: Amos
When I read Amos, it is clear that God is
In our sermon series this Fall, we're journeying through The 12 Minor Prophets. And we invite you to read along with us as we wrestle with what it means for us to be God's people today! Find the
*Excerpts taken from the forthcoming book Courageous Surrender by Cindy Limbrick.
Please. Don’t make me do this.
Deep within… the tension wars between two realities. The reality of
Throughout this mini blog series from Kaitlyn Schiess, we've reshaped how we think about spiritual disciplines and rhythms, why they matter, and how they help us to better love our neighbors.
We
All for the Sake of Our Neighbor is a mini blog series from Kaitlyn Schiess focused on healthy spiritual practices and rhythms that help us better love others.
So what are spiritual disciplines and
We're kicking off a mini blog series from Kaitlyn Schiess this week! All for the Sake of Our Neighbor is a series of posts all about healthy spiritual rhythms and practices that help us better love
How have your views of Jesus, obedience, and love been reshaped throughout this journey in 1 John? Check out what others have been learning these past few months!
Rob Shorey: 1 John
One of the privileges of reading Scripture together as a church family is being able to share what God is teaching us as we read each passage. If you haven't already, be sure to check out the 1 John
Sunsets, summer air, friends, worship, a firepit. There’s something about the combination of those things that makes heaven feel a little closer to earth.
Just over a month ago, a few staff were
We've loved hearing your thoughts and reactions so far as we read through 1 John together. Continue to follow along these last few weeks in the Reading Plan!
The Kippel Family: 1 John 3 &
I believe it has been a hard year for everyone.
We have all experienced loss; maybe we have lost precious loved ones. If that is true of you, I am so very sorry for your loss. Loss of a loved one is
Kimberly Kendall: 1 John 2 & John 5:19-24
My whole life I have struggled with the concept of grace. My brain can define it, but my heart has a hard time embracing it. I like to earn my way in
One of the amazing things about reading the book of 1 John together as a church family, is that we get to hear what others are learning and hearing from God. We get to come alongside one another in
This last year has been challenging to say the least. But it has also caused a lot of reflection on my part, as it probably has for many of you. Several weeks into the pandemic, I began listening to
We invite you to continue reading 1 John with us this month! Follow along here.
Sandy Golias: 1 John 4 & John 13:31-35
As long as I have been a Christian, I have pictured God way, way
We love hearing your honest thoughts and reactions as we read through 1 John. You can find even more Reflections and resources when you check out the Reading Plan page!
Diane Unger: 1 John 3
We hope you'll read 1 John with us this month! Find the Reading Plan here.
Preston Shoop, 12th Grade: 1 John 2 & John 3:31-36
"But the anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in
This spring, we're reading 1 John together as a church family!
Our sermon series will be going through John’s letter in a unique way on Sunday mornings by studying the text topically, so our
I loved celebrating Easter together on Sunday.
After having to watch online last year, attending Easter service in person made it feel even more special. Whether you're among the few who have been
People approach change with different perspectives; for some, it is pure excitement. For others, they dread change and can even become fearful with the unfamiliar.
I would say, for the most part, I
Church, thank you for reading along with us throughout our sermon series in 1 Peter. We love hearing about what God is teaching you as you read.
Don't forget to check out the rest of the 1 Peter
Lizzy Tempia, 8th Grade: 1 Peter 3:1 – 4:19
1 Peter 3:8-19 teaches that as Christians, we are called to serve others in this self-centered world. Peter tells us to act in a way that makes us stand
Join us as we continue reading through 1 Peter this month. This is something you can do by yourself, with a friend, your family, someone from your small group... Find the Reading Plan
We encourage you to continue reading along with us! Check out the 1 Peter Reading Plan.
Gabby Tempia, 9th Grade: 1 Peter 5:1 - 1-25
My honest opinion is that the Bible has stood
As we continue our sermon series in 1 Peter and read a new passage as a church family each week, we continue learning from the perspectives of others...
Sandy & Vic Ramsey: 1 Peter 2:1 –
We started 2021 by kicking off our sermon series in 1 Peter and have asked our church family to consider reading through it one time each month, for two months.
It was such a gift to be able to
A huge THANK YOU to those of you who have participated in this with us and have shared stories with us!
Lynea Brown: James 1:1-27
As I read James 1, I am specifically drawn to verse
Today is Election Day.
It's the most contentious election I can remember in my lifetime. And while many of us have likely already voted. I wanted to give us a couple of scriptural anchors that
Our hope is that your second time reading through the Letter of James has revealed new truths, and that you have been able to experience his words in different ways than you did the first time
This year we've been introduced to four words that we want to lean into as we strive to live a life focused on the Kingdom: Identity, Victory, Kingdom, and Partners.
At Friday's Renewal Fall
At the beginning of September, we started our sermon series in James and have asked our church family to consider reading through it one time each month, for three months.
Our hope is to hear from
In reading through the Letter of James, in journaling my thoughts, in my conversations with others, and in my time spent in God's beautiful creation, God continues to whisper His truths over and over
Growing up in this church, I never could have imagined that one day I would step into the role of Communications Director. I’ve been attending Pulpit Rock for as long as I can remember. I grew in my
I’m sure you’ve heard the running joke for these last few months about the year 2020 … it is a wink to all the bad things that have already happened and an eye roll about whatever is next. There was a
In high school, I ran the mile relay. Four of us would each run one lap around the track and then hand off the baton to the next person.
I was the anchor, the last runner. Sometimes I’d get the
I have been thinking a lot about compassion lately.
Matthew chapter 9 ends like this:
36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep
Sitting in seats full of cheering soccer fans, my eyes were on my daughter. Her coach paced the field with his hands behind his back, and some teenage boys shouted a chant that made us laugh.
With
“Normal life.”
What’s the definition of those words anymore?
Life as we knew it has been interrupted leaving us scrambling to figure out what this mean for us as individuals, families, communities
Living life under a stay-at-home order has got me thinking about one of the early stories in the Gospel of Mark.
Here is the story, found in Mark 1:40-44, as translated by Nicholas Zola (the
I sit to write as I do every Friday. But, instead of my normal Friday morning surroundings, a hidden gem of a coffee shop that gives me safe space to gather my weekly thoughts, I’m sitting in my
I’m not sure where your heart is with our world spinning out a bit, but I do know that we are all feeling the weight of this current season in some way.
I packed up all of my things on Friday,
Lent begins this week. (Are you coming to our first ever Ash Wednesday service?) Here's how Nate Huntley is recognizing this season.
Lent is a hard thing for me...and it should be.
Not that
Is it just me, or is the world getting louder and angrier? It seems no matter which way you turn, from Twitter to Facebook to the news, someone is shouting to have their view point or their cause
There’s a wintery-forest scene I’ve always loved. It involves beavers, the talking kind, and four children wrapped up in wonder. In his book The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis has the
This week we entered the season of Advent. This is a time that represents a season of expectant waiting and preparation leading up to Christmas and the celebration of Jesus’ birth.
But sometimes …
Toby MacKeehan lost his 21-year old son this week.
This news is hitting my mama's heart hard. I don't know Toby. I know people that know him, but that's the closest connection I can claim.
And
Something is changing in me. I’ve been doing this teaching thing for over twenty years, writing lesson plans, grading papers, and meeting new kids, but I’m ashamed to admit, I’ve been
Hillside Gardens is beautiful in the fall. The sun shines through the leaves of the trees, and the trickling water of the fountains scattered throughout the property offer a welcome calm. We needed
“At the heart of the fractured soul of America is the frightening chasm of race.” Manning Marable
Race, culture, ethnicity. We’ve been talking about it more transparently and intentionally for some
Recently, a large gay man in head-to-toe black leather gave me one of the best hugs I’ve ever received. It was a hug I had been postponing for several years.
Because I am, I have come to realize, a
We've spent nine weeks looking at ourselves through the stories of nine different people in the Bible. Based on what the Bible tells us, we took a guess at where each of those people might identify on
Last week during Jonathan’s sermon on the spontaneous Peters of the world, I, being very much like Peter myself, wanted to jump out of my seat and shout, “Yes!”
But I didn’t because I became
I don’t know who you are, but I read your blog post and felt a connection. “What happens when we stay silent?”, you contemplated. That is the tippy top of a huge iceberg, my friend. While this iceberg
This week, I reached a pinnacle of achievement, being quoted by the pastor in the Sunday sermon. …Although come to think of it, it might be a rather ignominious achievement, having been quoted for my
I need to breathe.
It’s April, so the essays are pouring in with only a few weeks to grade them. There are exams to write, grades to enter, emails and phone calls to make to parents whose kids
You may have watched the interview. Thomas Thompson and I talked about God being at work in public schools, and then the whole church was invited to join the conversation.
What you didn’t see, what
A NEW WAY TO LISTEN TO JESUS?
For most of my adult life I have had the privilege of living cross-culturally and developing deep, meaningful relationships with people who identify as
As a fast-paced, extremely relational/ high energy extrovert, I rarely experience quiet. It's not just my relationship with time, although time seems at a premium with a busy ministry life, three
You’ve probably noticed. Each new year brings more change.
My knees hurt a little more going up the stairs, my daughter is going to parties with girls and boys, and my son now uses the word “dude,”
When I was five, I was hospitalized for pneumonia.
I’m told that this is likely the reason that I’ve suffered from constant respiratory issues my entire life. To compound that issue, I have quite a
If Santa’s reputation can be trusted, I’m getting coal this Christmas. It’s as it should be. This year my prayer life has limped along, and my selfishness has run rampant. I justify my actions and
Tell someone.
On Sunday, Jonathan shared the wrenching story of how a young prostitute in Thailand shared a story of abuse with him. He encouraged us that we need to be there to hear the
Or, “How doubt strengthens my faith.”
Sometimes, I doubt the existence of God.
I figured the easiest way to say that was to rip the Band Aid right off. I’ve been a Christian for 31 years, I work